What is MIPPA?

The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) of 2008 is a multi-faceted piece of legislation related to Medicare. One important provision of MIPPA was the allocation of federal funding (through Section 119) for State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs), Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), and Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) to help low-income Medicare beneficiaries apply for programs that make Medicare affordable. In addition to SHIPs, AAAs, and ADRCs, Tribes can also receive small grants to do MIPPA outreach in their communities.

MIPPA grants are administered by the U.S. Administration for Community Living and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Medicare benefits & MIPPA

MIPPA grantees specifically help low-income seniors and persons with disabilities to apply for two programs that help pay for their Medicare costs:

MIPPA grantees also provide Part D counseling to Medicare beneficiaries who live in rural areas, and are tasked to promote Medicare’s prevention and wellness benefits.

Current MIPPA funding

On Sept. 26, 2014, following the receipt of proposals from states and Tribes, the Administration for Community Living (ACL) released funding to states and Title VI Native American programs. The District of Columbia and 44 states received state funding; 91 Tribes in 17 states also received Tribal MIPPA funding. Read more about what they have planned under this grant in our fact sheet, MIPPA IV at a Glance.

In April 2015, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 was enacted. This legislation holds two important updates for MIPPA grantees:

It made the Qualified Individual (QI) program permanent, meaning low-income Medicare beneficiaries with incomes between 120-135% FPL will still be able to take advantage of this Medicare Savings Program that helps pay their Part B premiums.

Sample outreach materials that have been successful with MIPPA grantees across the country, also available in our Resource Library

MIPPA successes

Since 2009, MIPPA grantees have submitted more than 860,000 LIS and MSP applications for a total value of benefits of over $2.3 billion. Read more about the results of the first three years of MIPPA grants to states in our report, MIPPA—Three Years On.